Though console owners will have a cornucopia of titles to choose from this fall, PC gamers were looking forward to one in particular. Spore, the hugely ambitious new project from Sims creator Will Wright, was slated to be out later this year, and was presumed by many to be one of Electronic Arts' tentpole holiday releases.

Well, presume no longer. Today during a post-earnings report conference call with analysts, newly re-installed EA CEO John Riccitiello shattered many-a-gamer's dreams by announcing that Spore is no longer on the publisher's 2008 fiscal year calendar, which ends on March 31, 2008.

"Spore is a title we have enormous confidence in," Riccitiello told analysts. "I've had the chance to review the title three times in my short return to the EA and it looks fantastic. I will also tell you that its release will be right up [to] the bubble in Q4 [of fiscal '08], if not sometime in early fiscal '09 so we don't feel comfortable in forecasting it." No specific mention was made of the DS version of the game.

As is often the case with high-profile titles, quality control concerns were behind the delay. "We're focusing on quality to make sure we build a franchise that feels more like The Sims, a franchise that we hope...to see around for some time in the future." Riccitiello promised, hinting the publisher has big plans for the property.